The Promise of Protection
by Devianta
Summary: Danny is about to go to war with the ghost zone but he fears Sam might get hurt in the process. Thus he makes a promise that will eventually kill him. DXS


A/N: Here is a little oneshot that came to mind a while back that I only just got around to writing. It's pretty good in my opinion though I was sort of quick with the ending. I did that because I had the first part all thought out and I just wanted to write it. So, I skimmed over the ending and I do apologize for that. If you want the ending in more detail please tell me in a review or a pm and I will write it. With that said, I do not own DP, please review- I love hearing from my readers, and let's get this show on the road!

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The Promise of Protection

He sat on my balcony, kicking his feet and periodically sighing. Sometimes he would rub the back of his neck. He was nervous. On our way back from school he told me he would be stopping by at ten thirty sharp to talk to me about something- something secret, private, something that was worrying him. I couldn't refuse.

Hey, I'm Sam Manson and you're probably wondering what I am babbling on about. Well, guess what, you're wrong. It's not babble. It's love. That's right. You heard me. Love. It's the greatest gift a person can give, greater even than life. For so long I let my gothic ways get in the way of realizing that. Thanks to my stubbornness, I never got to tell the boy, excuse me, man of my dreams that I love him. And to think, my nickname for him was 'clueless'. I was wrong there. It wasn't him that was clueless; it was me. He understood something far greater than I did. He understood love.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Anyway, Danny, the man I was talking about, was sitting on the edge of my balcony. We were both fourteen then. (Yeah, you're probably saying that he was not man; he's a boy. Well, Danny was the protector of Amity Park. His full name was Danny Fenton/Phantom. Yep, one in the same. Danny Fenton was human while Danny Phantom was a ghost. That made Danny half ghost.) Currently Danny was in his ghost form. His snow white hair gleamed in the moon light. Green eyes glanced nervously around.

I leaned against the wall of my house and waited for him to speak. So far, he seemed rather reluctant to. His unease seemed into my bones. I was beginning to feel almost as jumpy as him. Generally, from experiences prior to this one, I had learned that if Danny was nervous then something bad was about to happen. I was praying he was wrong this time. Then again, in cases like this, I always pray he is wrong, that he is merely overreacting. And my prayers usually go unanswered. Too bad.

Ten minutes pass and I decide to break the silence.

"So, uh, what did you want to talk to me about?" I ask.

He stares up at the sky. At first he doesn't answer. He just watches the sky. It was kind of creepy. He was so silent and, right then, still. He was a statue. Then finally, his ghostly voice echoing, he answers… sort of. "You know, I've always wondered… Do the stars answer wishes?" He looks at me.

"Um… Is that what was so important? 'Do the stars answer wishes?' Because if it is then I don't see how that is important."

The look on his face told me that he thought it was important. Very important, at least to him it was. His eyes narrowed and he pursed his lips.

"It is, Sam," he said in a whisper. "It is important." He looks back at the sky. "I'm hoping they'll grant my wish tonight."

"What wish?"

"I was in the ghost zone today and I found out a few things. First off," he looks down at his lap. "The invasion is on," he murmurs sadly. "I can't believe it, but it's on. The ghosts are going to try to come here. They managed once when the Ghost King came and that was bad enough. But now, they mean business… Business with the humans," tears welled up in his eyes as he said this. One fell as he tried to get the next words out. "I don't… I… I don't know if I can stop them."

"Danny, you don't have to stop them all by yourself. I'm here; Tucker's here; your parents are here. Then there's Valerie and her dad and all the other ghost hunters out there. And I'm sure some ghosts don't want this to happen. They'll help too. You're not alone in this. Trust me," I said. I sighed and said softly, "Don't cry." I stepped closer and reached out a hand. I gently brushed his tear away. He smiled sadly and took my hand. "What else did you find out?"

"I found out a new way to save people. Not the whole town or the world, but a few people. One or two. It's kind of hard to do. I have to… Um, this is going to sound weird, but… Um, 'ask permission' from the ghost stars."

I raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Ghost stars? What are ghost stars?"

He laughed shakily. "Well, they're stars created from ghost energy. They sort of have their own consciousness. Being a ghost I can kind of communicate with them. I can ask them for favors but I have to do it correctly or they get a little angry, like most ghosts," he laughed. He was definitely nervous. "But, if they grant my wish…" he shrugged. "I guess I'll be able to save a few more people."

"Wait, are you choosing me?"

"Yeah, Sam. I'm choosing you. I don't want anything to happen to you, because, if anything happens to me I want to know that you'll be okay. Besides, out of everyone, you'll be the most determined to stop them. Then again, you always are."

"Danny, don't. There are better people to use this on than me. What about your parents, Tucker, Valerie… Someone else? I mean, I'm not trained as a ghost hunter. Sure I've fought ghosts with you, but… I can't fight a whole army! Valerie has more of a chance and so do your parents! And Tucker, he's good with technology! He would have more of a chance too! Please, Danny, use this wish on someone else."

Danny merely smiled and shook his head. "I'm using it on you, Sam. My mind is made up. All of the people you mentioned, you're right. They can protect themselves and others and so can you. You're resourceful. You're the one who comes up with the plans half the time. That's why I want to protect you. They need you. And," he gulps, "so do I. I could never forgive myself if anything happened to you. If it weren't for you this town would already be in ruins. It was you who convinced me to go into the portal. It was you who designed the training sessions to help me practice my powers. It was you this whole time. Sam… It doesn't matter what you say. I'm using this wish on you."

"Danny…" It was all I could get out. He was still holding my hand. He pulled me even closer. My face was about an inch away from his. I could feel cold puffs of breath escape his lips. He pulled my hand up to his head and gently had me stroke his hair, running my fingers through the soft strands. "What are you doing?"

"I need you to pull a hair from my head in order for this to work," he answered.

"Why?" It seemed a little strange to me. What was so important about a hair? Was this voodoo or something?

"You need a part of me with you," was all he would say.

He gently clenched my fingers together so a few strands got caught between them. He pulled my hand back. The strands slowly slipped through my fingers until all had fallen but one. This one was the one he forced me to pull. He continued to hold my hand while he brought our hands and the strand of hair back in front of us.

"Well, that was the easy part. And now for the not so easy part," he said nervously, very nervously… Did I tell you that he was nervous? I'm nervous too.

"Danny, you really shouldn't go through with this. I mean… It's obviously dangerous or you wouldn't be nervous and I don't really want you to risk yourself for me… I mean, if you had to risk yourself then there are better people out there and…"

It was too late. The green of his eyes expanded till there was nothing left. They glowed brightly. Danny once told me that when this happens it means he's allowing his ghostly self to take control, or at least, more control than it normally has. That's why I knew there was no use trying to convince him anymore. The Danny I knew was no longer listening and there was no way for me to break free from his grasp. I was stuck. This was going to happen whether I liked it or not.

His lips began to move but no sound came out. Well, at first it didn't. Slowly though, I was able to hear more and more of what he was saying. Unfortunately, it wasn't in English. I couldn't understand a word of it. It was low sharp sounds, like claws slowly scraping against glass. It hurt my ears just listening to it. After several minutes he looked at, straight in the eyes, and said several more lines in this 'language'. Then he looked down at our hands. He took the hair and began tying it around my wrist, still speaking in that odd tongue.

I watched in fascination and to some extent horror. It was amazing and yet terrifying. I knew, without understanding anything being said, that he was binding his life to mine. I knew that if anything should happen to me that it would be his life being sacrificed in place of mine. I knew and understood what this meant. And now I understood why he was so nervous. If the ghost stars rejected him he would lose his life before he had a chance to defend anyone. He would gladly lose it in a battle to defend the ones he cares for, but losing it before that time would be absolutely devastating for him. He needed to give in order to be at peace and event then he would never quite be settled. His selflessness prevents that.

So as I watched his hands wind the silvery hair around my wrist and knot it, I realized he loved me. I was overjoyed to know and yet… I didn't want him to give his life for me or even risk that, because I could never really do the same for him. I simply didn't have that power. He was the one with the ghost powers, not me. I was the info girl. I was the thermos holder sometimes, but that was far from what he was doing. Oh, and I could aim use an ectogun. Eh, closer, but still not enough. I wouldn't be beside him. If he was in the air I couldn't block any blasts aimed at him. I couldn't protect him. I couldn't repay this new debt.

His eyes finally returned to normal and he fell into my arms, unconscious.

"Danny! Come on Danny, wake up!"

He stirred and I felt him lift up into the air a bit. "Wha… Hmm… Sam? Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to pass out like that. Ugh… So tired. That took a bit more out of me than I thought. Sorry."

"Oh, don't apologize. Though I did warn you! Are you okay?"

He was rubbing his eyes and massaging his temples. He looked so exhausted. He could barely keep his eyes open!

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I should get… get home. Yeah, home… Sleep… Tired…" He fell out of the air and curled up on the floor in front of me. His hands tucked themselves under his head forming a pillow. His knees pressed against his chest. His eyes drooped and closed. His lungs expelled one final breath. He was asleep within seconds yet to me it seemed as if he died.

"Oh, Danny… What have you done?"

I carried him into my room and tucked him into my bed. My parents were away, thank goodness. He could stay the night. I called Jazz, his sister, and told her where he was. She would relay the message to their parents.

I spent the rest of the night watching him sleep. He was so peaceful. And he seemed happy, as if performing that ritual had somehow relieved him of some burden. It made me feel better… a little bit. I like seeing him happy. I love his smile and the way his whole face relaxes.

He woke up at eleven the next morning. He yawned and stretched, his arms reaching above his head. He blinked lazily at me.

" 'Morning," he said, still yawning. He smiled and sat up.

" 'Morning to you too. How do you feel?"

"Great! Why?" His head was tilted slightly to the side, curious.

"Duh! You did that thing last night, remember?"

He looked truly stumped for a second before the light went on in his brain. "Oh! I forgot! Uh, yeah… Did it work?"

"I guess. You're still here alive. And the hair is still on my wrist… I guess everything went fine."

"Good," he sighed.

"What were you saying last night when you were doing that… thing?"

He looked around, suddenly and inexplicably uncomfortable. "Um…"

"Do you know what you were saying?"

"Yeah, I do. I hope you won't be angry if I tell you."

"I won't. I mean, you only blatantly went against my wishes and gave me this wish even though I didn't want it. You only nearly got yourself killed possibly over nothing. You only scared me to death! Yeah, I'm not angry."

"Sam," he nearly cried. There was so much pain in his voice that all my anger vanished in favor of guilt. "You were the only one I really wanted to give this too. It's the words. I felt… I felt the only person I should say them to was you."

"What are they?"

He cleared his throat slightly, took a deep breath, and recited the words. "My heart beats for you even when you can't hear it. My world turns for you even when you can't feel it. My life I live for you so that in your waking moments you may feel this. My love I give to you because my life will never suffice. By this promise I give you everything I can. By my word I will protect you even in my absence. Please accept my gift for it is all I can give this day. Please accept what I will not for it is not mine to take."

That was the last time I saw him alive. A year later, a group of ghosts brought Danny's lifeless body to my door. On that day I felt the weight of his words which echoed in my ears. I understood love after that.

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A/N: Again, I am really sorry that I skimmed over the dead-Danny thing. Again, if you want me to write just say so. Thanks! 


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